Writing and Publishing Scientific Articles Course Workbook

Cohesion and Clarity

12- 21

produce a senescence-inducing neuroendocrine output that is not produced in muscle or intestine. Muscle or intestine cells may contribute dauer and metabolic regulatory signals. Of course, sentences can also be too short, making the writing seem choppy or abrupt. Very short sentences can be combined using transitional words. (See the list of transitional words at the end of this chapter.) A mix of longer and shorter sentences — the best case — will lend a touch of sophistication to your writing.

Activity 5

Cut each long sentence into 2 sentences at the word in bold. Begin the second sentence with a word or phrase that links the 2 sentences. 1. To date, only a handful of metastasis suppressor genes have been identified, and the mechanisms through which these genes and their protein products suppress metastasis in vivo are not well defined. (From Keller et al., 2002)

2. The bone provides a unique environment, compared with soft tissue, for the establishment of metastases, which includes aspects unique to bone, including the sinusoidal characteristics of the marrow, the mineralized matrix in the bone, and the extracellular matrix, which is rich in growth factors. (From Keller et al., 2002)

Eliminate wordiness.

“Lean” language is language that has the minimum number of words necessary to clearly state the message. Extra words tend to clutter a sentence and get in the way of the meaning. Inexperienced writers, especially, often use more words than necessary. With practice, though, you can develop a clean, lean style of writing that supports your message.

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